The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-12-02
A FALLACY OF INTEMPERANCE.

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~ Can Drink, or 1 Can Let 1t Alone"-
The Enslavement of the Human Will.
Among the fallacies of intemper-
ance, none is more fatal than the tip
piers favorite saying: Il can drink, or
/ can let it alone" 1t sounds manly
and masterful. 1t tickles the vanity of
the speaker. 1t implies on his part
great reserve of will power, which
makes it perfectly safe for him to in
dulge in the pleasure of alcoholic slim
ulation, because, at any moment, he
can put the indulgence from him by an
effort of his will.
Part of the above quotation is unde-
niably true, but part of it is on par
with that serpentine whisper-so false
and so fatal: ''Ye shall not surely die!''
81 can drink" needs no demonstra-
ton; OF, if it docs, the enormous foot
ings of our annual liquor bill will fur
nish ample proof. 81 can let it alone, -
coming from the lips of total alb
stainer, expresses the exact truth; but
in the mouth of drinker, it is like the
empty boast of Samson, when he visit
not that his strength had departed
from HIM. Or" is a little word, but
in the familiar quotation at the head of
this article, it interposes q barrier
which few in their own strength are
able to pass Il can drink, or can
drink, or can drink" is usually the
way that the series runs down to life's
sad close.
Three reasons may be given to show
that the use of Intoxicating liquors as
beverage is likely to lead to the entire
enslavement of the will. One import
ant office of the will is to rule the pas
sions and appetites. These are not self
regulating, but their tendency is to-
wards excess. The will was given to di-
rect and hold in check these necessary
but dangerous powers of mans nature.
Like meddlesome horses properly har-
messed and skillfully guided, they are
noble servants as long as the strong
hand of volition is on the reins. Now
real life proves conclusively that, even
under ordinary circumstances, the pas
sions and appetites are not easily con-
trolled. But add the powerful stimu-
lation of alcohol, and the task becomes
doubly difficult; because it infames
the passions and strengthens the APP
petites. This is especially true of the
entire lower range of mans nature.
Anger, hate, revenge, lust, leap up
fierce and strong, as though some de-
mon had been adding fuel to their fires.
Now, even if the strength of will were
not impaired in the meanwhile, alco-
holized passions 60 beyond it's strength.
If a driver is barely able to restrain
one prancing pair of horses, il will not
do to double the team, and ask him to
drive ,four-in-hand. If the will has
enough to do--yes, sometimes more
than enough-to hold in check mans
unruly passions when they are at their
ordinary pitch, it is easy 10 predict
what will be the result when alcohol
doubles their strength. If one desires
lCb lllBl ~ UIlC IGCOIuS
of police and criminal courts.
Ascend significant fact is that in
temperance raises up Judas among
the habits, who will seek occasion to
betray the will, and deliver it into the
hands of its enemies. Every good
habit is the friend and helper of the
will. 1t is, we may say, conserved
volition; for habits are formed by I'M
numbered acts of the will turned in
the direction of some line of conduct,
making action in that line easy. When
a good habit is once established, the
will is relieved from the necessity of
constant and minute supervision, and
may safely turn its activity in other
directions. Without the power of
forming habits there could be no such
thing as confirmed character. All vo-
lition would be tentative, and would
apply to the act of the moment Man
would be represented by his passing
volition, rather than by the sum of all
his past volitions. His conduct would
be tickle; his character would not in
crease in mass and momentum.
But, unfortunately, bad habits as
well as good can be formed; and of all
bad habits, intemperance sets itself
most powerfully against the will. The
will helps to form it, but when it gains
certain degree of strength, it be-
comes rebel, and defes the will. 1t
seats itself in the flesh; lays hold on
every fiber of the body; makes the
passions its allies; diligently feeds the
fires of thirst; laughs at reason and
conscience, and breaks through the
mandates of the will as though they
were of little worth. When it arises in
its strength the most solemn resolu-
tions are swept before it, as autumn
leaves are carried by November
storm.
But the third fact shows the fatal
power of intemperance in the clearest
light. Not only does the use of alco-
hol in any form tend to establish
habit with which the will may not be
able to cope, but it also weakens the
will. A few illustrative examples
will be more forcible than formal ar
guments.
In Robert Burns, one of the bright
est geniuses that Scotland ever knew,
the balance between volition and pas
sion was uncertain, even when he was
at his best. When his father was near
his end, he said that there was one of
his children whose future filled him
with painful anxiety. Robert heard
the remark, and coming to the bed
side, he said: ''Oh, father! is it me
that you mean2" The dying man said
that twas so, and Robert turned away